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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23711071">Present Number #18</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/windfae/pseuds/windfae'>windfae</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Karneval (Anime &amp; Manga)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Birthday Fluff, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Slice of Life</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 20:55:18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,721</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23711071</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/windfae/pseuds/windfae</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“In the middle of living as Circus personnels, birthdays have to be celebrated merrily!” —by Tokitatsu. It’s Tsukitachi’s special day and Tokitatsu showered him with presents. Hirato and Akari joined them. Light-hearted slice of life, humor and fluff. Platonic Tokitatsu x Tsukitachi. Implied Hirato x Akari sex.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Akari/Hirato (Karneval), Tokitatsu &amp; Tsukitachi (Karneval)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Present Number #18</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was around seven in the morning when Tsukitachi arrived at the research tower. The long night he had spent scouting in a town ended in an encounter with some low-level varugas.</p><p>
  <em>All defeated and the town looked dazzling illuminated by the sunrise.</em>
</p><p>The automatic gate cleared his entrance with a cheerful <em>ding</em>. Entering the building further, he smiled good-naturedly to the nurses and greeted the early shift researchers.</p><p>“Good morning, Tsukitachi-san!” Ako, one of the researchers said. “Do you want one of us to check up on you?”</p><p>“Is Akari-chan not here yet?” Tsukitachi asked. The good doctor was usually the one doing his and Hirato’s check up.</p><p>“He hasn’t come out of his quarters,” Ako said, glancing to his coworkers for confirmation. “If it’s all right by you, one of us can give you your examination.”</p><p>Tsukitachi nodded. “That is fine.”</p><p>Ako led him to one of the examination rooms and began to do his work. He deemed the captain healthy, if not a little sleep-deprived.</p><p>“Just take your usual vitamins, you’ll be fine,” Ako said.</p><p>“Thanks!” Tsukitachi said. He stood up and made it to the door before pausing. He flashed a grin to Ako. “Say, I would like to stop by Akari-chan’s quarter before leaving…”</p><p>===</p><p>Hirato and Akari were a couple. This was not a known fact.</p><p>Nevermind the fact that none of them had actually confessed. The sex was good and date nights were warm.</p><p>Since Hirato was ever so cautious, no one knew.</p><p>Yet.</p><p>The captain of the second ship narrowed his eyes as he sensed Tsukitachi’s presence in front of Akari’s room. This was bad.</p><p>Akari was sleeping soundly by his side, using his arm as a pillow. Hirato couldn’t move without waking him and he didn’t want to wake the doctor.</p><p>
  <em>He had kept him awake most of the night yesterday, after all. Akari needed his rest.</em>
</p><p>Internally, he sighed in resignation, already thinking of ways to blackmail Tsukitachi to keep his mouth shut.</p><p>“As I thought.”</p><p>Tsukitachi muttered in an oddly triumphant tone that had Hirato popped an imaginary vein. He flashed his fellow captain an irritated glare.</p><p>Which was not effective, at all. Tsukitachi just grinned.</p><p>“I’ll show myself out,” he winked. “Continue your peaceful sleep.”</p><p>===</p><p>Tsukitachi yawned as he made his way back to his ship. The bunnies greeted him <em>good morning</em> and <em>welcome back</em>.</p><p>Kiichi and Jiki had had their breakfast and were now training, one of the bunnies informed him. No abnormalities today.</p><p>That was, until he saw a trail of rose petals leading him to his own room.</p><p>He glanced at the bunnies. They all averted their eyes from him, not saying a word.</p><p>Tsukitachi had his suspicion. Seeing that very suspicion lounged on his bed with bowls of popcorns and chips, playing a game of some sorts on his TV, wearing oversized fluffy sheep pajamas was…</p><p>“Oh, Tsuki-chan! You’re back!”</p><p>“Toki-chan…,” Tsukitachi sighed. “Does your secretary know you’re here…?”</p><p>“Of course not!”</p><p>Tokitatsu smiled cheerfully. He waved Tsukitachi over.</p><p>“So, how’s the research tower?” Tokitatsu said nonchalantly. He rummaged around the blankets, searching for something.</p><p>“...You knew, didn’t you,” Tsukitachi realised suddenly. The other had sent him over the mission last night so that he would make his customary check up at the research tower. Leading him to find out about Hirato and Akari. “You sly bastard, you didn’t tell Hirato, huh. He was not aware that I’ll be there this morning.”</p><p>“Oh, sharp, Tsuki-chan,” Tokitatsu said. “That is my first present to you.”</p><p>
  <em>Present…?</em>
</p><p>“And this is your second!”</p><p>Tokitatsu threw him a colorful gift box, wrapped in red and gold ribbons. Tsukitachi caught it, bewildered.</p><p>“Happy birthday, Tsuki-chan!” Tokitatsu cheered. Two bunnies jumped around them in excitement, throwing confettis and candies. “Open the present!”</p><p>
  <em>At the far back of his mind, he recalled that yes, it was his birthday, how could he forget?</em>
</p><p>Tsukitachi smiled and reached to open the box.</p><p>===</p><p>“TSUKITACHI WAS WHAT?!”</p><p>Ako flinched and shuddered as he repeated his earlier report.</p><p>“Uh,” he held his breath. “The first ship captain was here for a check up this morning…?”</p><p>Akari glared.</p><p>“And he went to visit you in your quarter.”</p><p>“...”</p><p>“...”</p><p>Akari stomped away angrily. Ako prayed that whoever ended up receiving the doctor’s wrath would not be traumatised badly.</p><p>
  <em>I have to call Yogi-san and tell him to avoid this place for today.</em>
</p><p>===</p><p>The gift box contained bunny pajamas.</p><p>“Change to it, Tsuki-chan!” Tokitatsu said. “After that, your third present awaits!”</p><p>“What? Toki-chan, there’s more?”</p><p>When all Tokitatsu did was just smile, Tsukitachi resigned to just follow the lead.</p><p>He quickly changed to the bunny pajamas. It was fluffy and soft to the touch. Tsukitachi felt as if his fatigue from the night before evaporated as he tossed his work suits to the laundry basket.</p><p>Tokitatsu beckoned him to sit on the bed. Tsukitachi did so, feeling the weird but pleasant bounce of the pajamas’ bunny ears and tail. Promptly, the older man shoved bags of snacks to him.</p><p>“This one is made from potatoes! It tastes like asteroids in your mouth. This one is actually dried fruits, they taste amazing. This popcorn I found in Vantnam is really tasty! You might find them a little weird at first, but try it. This one is special edition chocolate…”</p><p>“These are a lot,” Tsukitachi said, amused at the other’s childish enthusiasm. “I hope they aren’t expiring anytime soon.”</p><p>“I’ve checked! No worries there,” Tokitatsu said. He rummaged some more. “And this.”</p><p>Tsukitachi took the offered bottle of wine. It was his favorite.</p><p>“Figured you’ll love that,” Tokitatsu beamed. “Save it for later, though, there is this game I’m dying to play with you.”</p><p>“Oh, a game?” Tsukitachi asked. He saw an animated bunny and sheep on the screen, a big PAUSE text obstructing what little he could observe.</p><p>“It’s the ‘Bunny vs. Sheep: May Day Edition’ that hasn’t been released yet, Tsuki-chan!” Tokitatsu said excitedly. “Specially brought here so you and I can play it before the public release!”</p><p>“By ‘brought’ I hope you don’t mean ‘snatch from the developer’s desk when they’re not looking’ kind,” Tsukitachi chuckled. He took a console and Tokitatsu reloaded the game.</p><p>“Pssh, same difference.”</p><p>===</p><p>“As a Circus personnel and captain, I am pretty sure you knew when that bastard entered my quarter this morning,” Akari stated slowly, approaching the second ship captain who still lounged around his room. “Why didn’t you wake me?”</p><p>Hirato slipped a gold butterfly bookmark on the page he was reading at, eyes fluttering to follow Akari’s ever since the doctor stormed back to the room.</p><p>“You were asleep. I simply didn’t want to wake you.”</p><p>“Tsukitachi knew now. I hope you are thinking of ways to keep him quiet.”</p><p>Hirato smirked. “Of course, Dearest.”</p><p>“Stop calling me that and get moving then,” Akari said, irritated. “He could be blabbering to your brother about it at this very moment and we’d never hear the end of it.”</p><p>“Would you like to join me giving him a visit?” Hirato asked. He stood up and reached for his suit jacket. “After all, it’s his birthday today.”</p><p>Akari paused.</p><p>He looked to the calendar on his desk.</p><p>“Oh, sweet nectars.”</p><p>===</p><p>Ako held his breath a little more as Akari’s footsteps approached the room.</p><p>“I will be taking the Kupi,” Akari announced. Then he was gone.</p><p>
  <em>Oh, dear, Tsukitachi-san, what did you do?</em>
</p><p>===</p><p>“Welcome, usa,” the bunnies greeted Hirato and Akari.</p><p>“Don’t,” Hirato grabbed one of the bunnies menacingly. “Report anything about us here to Tsukitachi.”</p><p>===</p><p>“Usa…,” one bunny in Tsukitachi’s room made a sound, but it fell quiet immediately.</p><p>===</p><p>The two were asleep when Hirato and Akari arrived. Though, as much as sleeping went, being two of the highest brass Circus personnels that they were, Tsukitachi and Tokitatsu woke at once.</p><p>“Cute pajamas,” Hirato commented.</p><p>“Thank you,” his brother grinned. “They're custom-made. No need to be jealous, though, I got two more for each one of you!”</p><p>“What…?” Akari said, narrowing his eyes as Tokitatsu pulled two more boxes and gave them one each.</p><p>“Wear it, Akari-chan!” Tsukitachi said, rubbing sleep out of his eyes. “It’s super comfy!”</p><p>“Like hell I would!”</p><p>“Same with me,” Hirato said. He sighed, “I guess we’re too late then, if Tokitatsu is here.”</p><p>“If I’m here…?” Tokitatsu said, rubbing his chin. “Oh! You mean your super secret relationship where the two of you look at each other with starry eyes. You know, Tsuki-chan, one night under the bright full moon, they were... BWAH!”</p><p>Akari grabbed the nearest snack bag and threw it to the blabbering man.</p><p>“I suggest you shut up,” Akari said. “If you still value your life.”</p><p>“So you know that far back,” Hirato hummed. “I will have to reconsider how to handle this.”</p><p>“Chill, guys,” Tsukitachi laughed nervously. “It’s not like we’re going to tell the whole world about it!”</p><p>“Yes, yes,” Tokitatsu agreed. “At times like this, you can rely on your brother for relationship advices, Hirato!”</p><p>“I would rather not.”</p><p>“Anyway,” Akari said. “I would appreciate it if you’re not telling anybody. In positions such as ours, relationships can be dangerous.”</p><p>The four of them nodded sobberly.</p><p>“Putting that aside,” Hirato said after a while, reaching over his suit pockets and giving Tsukitachi a petite box wrapped in elegant golden foils. “Happy birthday, Tsukitachi.”</p><p>“Happy birthday,” Akari said. He tossed Tsukitachi his gift, tube in shape.</p><p>Tsukitachi beamed. “Thank you, Hirato and Akari-chan! Now let’s continue the game, this time with four players!”</p><p>===</p><p>It was a day well-spent, if Tsukitachi said so himself. They were shouting like kids as they played games. Tokitatsu had brought a movie to watch afterwards.</p><p>Jiki and Kiichi popped by to say their <em>happy birthday, please don’t get too drunk. We have invited the second ship’s crew for dinner later.</em></p><p>The bunnies brought their meals, not that they felt hungry with all of the snacks Tokitatsu had insisted them to try every five minutes.</p><p>Circus are their life. The ships are their homes. The crews, their family.</p><p>Tsukitachi smiled, truly grateful for their presence today. He felt warm and loved.</p><p>“Thank you for being here, guys,” he said, giving the other three a big hug. “I love you all!”</p><p> </p><p>===</p><p>PS: Check out its <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B_G6p0kl47G/">companion art (and bonus mini comic) here</a></p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for reading! I hope you have a nice, bright and colorful day :)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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